The Brothers Karamazov [Naxos AudioBooks Edition]

Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a titanic figure among the world's great authors, and The Brothers Karamazov is often hailed as his finest novel. A masterpiece on many levels, it transcends the boundaries of a gripping murder mystery to become a moving account of the battle between love and hate, faith and despair, compassion and cruelty, good and evil.

Ulysses

Ulysses is regarded by many as the single most important novel of the 20th century. It tells the story of one day in Dublin, June 16th 1904, largely through the eyes of Stephen Dedalus (Joyce's alter ego from Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man) and Leopold Bloom, an advertising salesman. Both begin a normal day, and both set off on a journey around the streets of Dublin, which eventually brings them into contact with one another.

War and Peace, Volume 2

War and Peace is one of the greatest monuments in world literature. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, it examines the relationship between the individual and the relentless march of history. Here are the universal themes of love and hate, ambition and despair, youth and age, expressed with a swirling vitality which makes the book as accessible today as it was when it was first published in 1869.

War and Peace, Volume 1

War and Peace is one of the greatest monuments in world literature. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, it examines the relationship between the individual and the relentless march of history. Here are the universal themes of love and hate, ambition and despair, youth and age, expressed with a swirling vitality which makes the book as accessible today as it was when it was first published in 1869.

The Idiot [Blackstone]

Prince Myshkin, is thrust into the heart of a society more concerned with wealth, power, and sexual conquest than the ideals of Christianity. Myshkin soon finds himself at the center of a violent love triangle in which a notorious woman and a beautiful young girl become rivals for his affections. Extortion, scandal, and murder follow, testing the wreckage left by human misery to find "man in man."

Madame Bovary

In Madame Bovary, one of the great novels of 19th-century France, Flaubert draws a deeply felt and sympathetic portrait of a woman who, having married a country doctor and found herself unhappy with a rural, genteel existence, longs for love and excitement. However, her aspirations and her desires to escape only bring her further disappointment and eventually lead to unexpected, painful consequences. Flaubert's critical portrait of bourgeois provincial life remains as powerful as ever

Don Quixote

The most influential work of the entire Spanish literary canon and a founding work of modern Western literature, Don Quixote is also one of the greatest works ever written. Hugely entertaining but also moving at times, this episodic novel is built on the fantasy life of one Alonso Quixano, who lives with his niece and housekeeper in La Mancha. Quixano, obsessed by tales of knight errantry, renames himself 'Don Quixote' and with his faithful servant Sancho Panza, goes on a series of quests.

The Trial [Naxos AudioBooks]

The Trial is one of the great works of the 20th century - an extraordinary vision of one man put on trial by an anonymous authority on an unspecified charge. Kafka evokes all the terrifying reality of his ordeal.

The Grapes of Wrath

Shocking and controversial when it was first published, Steinbeck's Pulitzer prize-winning epic remains his undisputed masterpiece. Set against the background of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of the Joad family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel west in search of the promised land.

Notes from the Underground

A predecessor to such monumental works such as Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, Notes From Underground represents a turning point in Dostoyevsky's writing towards the more political side.

In this work, we follow the unnamed narrator of the story, who, disillusioned by the oppression and corruption of the society in which he lives, withdraws from that society into the underground.

War and Peace

Often called the greatest novel ever written, War and Peace is at once an epic of the Napoleonic wars, a philosophical study, and a celebration of the Russian spirit. Tolstoy's genius is clearly seen in the multitude of characters in this massive chronicle, all of them fully realized and equally memorable.

The Master and Margarita

The Devil comes to Moscow, but he isn't all bad; Pontius Pilate sentences a charismatic leader to his death, but yearns for redemption; and a writer tries to destroy his greatest tale, but discovers that manuscripts don't burn. Multi-layered and entrancing, blending sharp satire with glorious fantasy, The Master and Margarita is ceaselessly inventive and profoundly moving. In its imaginative freedom and raising of eternal human concerns, it is one of the world's great novels.

Swann's Way

Swann's Way is the first novel of Marcel Proust's seven-volume magnum opus In Search of Lost Time. After elaborate reminiscences about his childhood with relatives in rural Combray and in urban Paris, Proust's narrator recalls a story regarding Charles Swann, a major figure in his Combray childhood....

The Idiot

In The Idiot, Prince Myshkin possesses a childlike innocence and trusting nature that leave him vulnerable to abuse by those around him. Returning to St. Petersburg to collect an inheritance, Myshkin realizes he is a stranger in a society obsessed with wealth, manipulation and power.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

In 1937, Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from "the good fight", For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Germinal

Germinal is one of the most striking novels in the French tradition. Widely regarded as Zola's masterpiece, the novel describes the working conditions of French coalminers in the 1860s in harsh and realistic terms. It is visceral, graphic, and unrelenting. Its strong socialist principles and vivid accounts of the miners' strikes meant that the novel became a key symbol in the workers' fight against oppression, with chants of "Germinal! Germinal!" resonating high above the author's funeral.

Classics of Russian Literature

Russian literature famously probes the depths of the human soul, and in this series of 36 insightful lectures prepared by a frequently honored teacher legendary among educators in both the United States and Russia-you probe just as deeply into the extraordinary legacy that is Russian Literature itself.Professor Weil introduces you to masterpieces such as Tolstoy's War and Peace, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, Gogol's Dead Souls, Chekhov's The Seagull, Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago, and many other great novels, stories, plays, and poems.

Middlemarch

Dorothea Brooke is an ardent idealist who represses her vivacity and intelligence for the cold, theological pedant Casaubon. One man understands her true nature: the artist Will Ladislaw. But how can love triumph against her sense of duty and Casaubon's mean spirit? Meanwhile, in the little world of Middlemarch, the broader world is mirrored: the world of politics, social change, and reforms, as well as betrayal, greed, blackmail, ambition, and disappointment.

The Sympathizer

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2016. It is April 1975, and Saigon is in chaos. At his villa, a general of the South Vietnamese army is drinking whiskey and, with the help of his trusted captain, drawing up a list of those who will be given passage aboard the last flights out of the country. The general and his compatriots start a new life in Los Angeles, unaware that one among their number, the captain, is secretly observing and reporting on the group to a higher-up in the Viet Cong.

Lolita

Savagely funny and hauntingly sad, Lolita is Nabokov's most famous and controversial novel. It is the story of tortured college professor Humbert Humbert and his dangerous obsession with honey-skinned schoolgirl Dolores Haze.

The Three Musketeers

Romance, treachery, courage...The Three Musketeers has it all! In one of the greatest adventure stories ever written, the dashing young swordsman D'Artagnan and his daredevil companions Athos, Aramis and Porthos, become embroiled in duels, love-tangles and sinister intrigues which threaten the future of King, Queen and France herself.

A Tale of Two Cities

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"; "It is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known"; so the novel begins and ends with some of Dicken's best-known words, and between the two is every Briton's view of the worst excesses of the French Revolution.

Audible Editor Reviews

George Guidall's performance of this literary classic transports the audience to the slums of St. Petersburg and deep into the mind of Rodion Raskolnikov, a young Russian intellectual. Raskolnikov murders an old woman, a money-lender and pawn-broker he considers repugnant. He reasons that he'll repay his crimes with good deeds. Although he justifies the murder using reason and intellect, he is ultimately consumed by guilt. Crime and Punishment is one of the most influential works of literature in the world. Guidall's tremulous voice captures the severity and suspense of this story, making this an unforgettable experience for the listener.

Publisher's Summary

Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment is universally regarded as one of literature's finest achievements, as the great Russian novelist explores the inner workings of a troubled intellectual. Raskolnikov, a nihilistic young man in the midst of a spiritual crisis, makes the fateful decision to murder a cruel pawnbroker, justifying his actions by relying on science and reason, and creating his own morality system. Dehumanized yet sympathetic, exhausted yet hopeful, Raskolnikov represents the best and worst elements of modern intellectualism. The aftermath of his crime and Petrovich's murder investigation result in an utterly compelling, truly unforgettable cat-and-mouse game. This stunning dramatization of Dostoevsky's magnum opus brings the slums of St. Petersburg and the demons of Raskolnikov's tortured mind vividly to life.

Translation by Constance Garnett, originally published in 1917.

Public Domain (P)1991 by Recorded Books, Inc.

What the Critics Say

"The novels of Dostoevsky are seething whirlpools...which hiss and boil and suck us in. They are composed purely and wholly of the stuff of the soul." (Virginia Woolf)

This is Dostoevsky?s most complete work. The narration by George Guidall, one of the titans of audio book narration is perfection. He brings to characters to life and his perfect pronunciation of Russian names makes this complex and vast work accessible to all.

The translation by Constance Garnett often gets a bad press, but in my opinion is far superior to the 'modern' translations, which may or may not be more accurate (I cannot read the original Russian text), but are not as enjoyable to read or well written.

On the whole this is a brilliant work and an exceptional audio book. It may the most expensive version, but you get what you pay for. In my opinion it?s worth every penny.

If the paper version is a ?page turner?, this version is an ?ear burner?! A masterful vocal depiction of complex and tense emotions and multidimensional characters? but don?t take my word for it, ?see? for yourselves!

It is difficult to see how a reading of this book could be better. It is perfectly paced, expressive and clear. Each character has a distinct, natural voice. The settings and characters come alive. Wonderful

I've made it a third of a way through the book twice now and decided that the audiobook was the way to go. It's not always easy to listen to and you do have to work at it, but before long the story and - moreover - the characters get under your skin and they stay there for a very long time.
The narration is really excellent. The pronunciation, individual characterisations, constantly shifting pace and erratic mono and dialogues would challenge any narrator. He does a stunning job of keeping on top of the delivery.
As to what was going through Dostoevsky's head when he wrote it, I'm not too sure. It's a journey, in any case. Partly through the world as it was at that time and partly through the mind of a man who's not quite the full kopeck...

I was struggling to read this novel for my book group and finding the Russian names difficult so decided to try it as an audio book. The book is well read and the author knows how to pronounce all those Russian names. The novel became an enjoyable experience rather than a 'must do'.

I have got a general method of using audiobooks which I suppose would affect my review too. I normally read and listen. That is, while I'm hearing to the audiobook I read the book simultanously. This, I believe, helps to get the most out of the both experiences.

My first audible experience was with Crime and Punishment. Although I'd had listened to the various audiobooks before, but this was the first time that I read the whole book in concert with listening to its narration. George Guidall's narration of the Crime and Punishment was fascinating and very engaging. The particular connection that his narration makes between the reader and the main character of the novel--Raskolnikov-- is beyond imagination. It definitely gets the reader into the world of the novel and shed even more light on one of the masterpieces of Dostoevsky. Guidall's soothing voice plus his tactful narration will help the reader of Crime and Punishment to live the novel.

It's a classic of course so no need to talk about what a fantastic piece of literature it is. George Guidall's narration is amazing in that he manages subtle alterations in his voice to help distinguish characters and really bring the text to life. A highly pleasurable way to spend 26 hours

I have attempted to read this book twice in the past, both times past the halfway point. Each time I added a much more painful tone to the book than the narrator did in his reading. This meant that I stopped reading the book because it was too mentally overwhelming. However, the narrator reads this book well, both adding more characterization than I did myself and providing a way to seperate characters. The 24 hours went by quickly and found it didn't seem like a long book at all.

Crime and Punishment is a beautiful novel of suffering, pride, hope, redemption, and guilt. Through Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamozov and this novel I have considered all those themes much differently in my life.

34 of 34 people found this review helpful

John

Sedona, AZ, United States

30/07/08

Overall

"Masterful narration of a masterpiece"

I have read Dostoevsky's masterpiece in the past and wanted to reread it but considered it a huge chore. Instead, I decided to listen to George Guidall's rendition because of my past enjoyment of his amazing gift as a catalyst between the written word and the spoken word.. The audiobook immediately captured my interest and attention in a way that reading the book never did. Guidall made the characters come alive. How a narrator could carefully enunciate all the Russian names and give them separate voices and fully express the emotions and meaning in the text seemed such a wonderful feat, that I felt an obligation to tell potential listeners that they should not be afraid to invest the 25 plus hours to enjoy one of the greatest classics of world literature.

28 of 28 people found this review helpful

Patrik

EslovSweden

02/11/04

Overall

"Pure excellence"

Before you hear this title, be aware that many other books you have read will seem worse than you thought of them before, and the initial glow of many new books could fade away fast in comparison. At least, that is what happened to me when I read this book. Dostoevsky is one of the best, if not the foremost, describers of our human nature, and "Crime and Punishment" is a work of genius. It is a long book, yes, but then again our human nature is hard to describe swiftly. It is an understatement that I highly recommend this well read masterpiece.

22 of 22 people found this review helpful

Walter

Sharon, PA, USA

23/12/03

Overall

"the unconscious made conscious"

Dostoevsky was said to be able to bring the human unconscious to life in his writings. I have read this masterwork 3 times in my life; it exhausted me each time! I felt somewhat better when I learned that Robert Louis Stevenson had a similar experience. This audiobook is read by a master narrator. One truly experiences Raskolnikov's inner mind, which is the book's essence. This is a must-have for any serious lover of literature.

59 of 61 people found this review helpful

Christopher

Hamtramck, MI, USA

28/10/05

Overall

"Pride"

Admit it-- there is a certain pride in having accomplished the completion of such a regarded and challenging book, even if it is in audio format. After all, it is not always easy to continue to the end, but not because it is poorly done or boring. As it notes in the prologue, one author describes reading this as being infected with a disease. This classic novel will move you, it will make you think and feel, but you won't always be thinking and feeling positive, happy things.

As is so vitally important in such matters, the reader must be good. While I tired of his interpretation of the main character, Raskolnikov, overall he was a suprior interpreter, a reading of the first class. He better be to listen to him for over 25 hours.

In the end, I have found myself referring to the notions I took from this book in conversations all the time. It has invaded my psyche and is even now affecting some of my personal philosophies as I continue to digest it.

17 of 17 people found this review helpful

URIEL MESHOULAM

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts United States

02/06/04

Overall

"One of the best recorded novels"

A haunting classic, read by one of the best I've heard. He is so good, that I clicked on his name to find out what else he is reading. The novel itself is easy to follow, tense, and stimulates much thinking. If you have any inclination to read classics, start here!

15 of 15 people found this review helpful

Harry

Tunkhannock, PA, USA

20/12/07

Overall

"OUTSTANDING!"

Outside of the Holy Bible, this is my favorite book of all time. I've read hundreds and hundreds of books but none have the power of this one.
While listening to it one time, I was in deep depression and I felt like this book was a balm to my deep emotional wounds. The relation and connection was deep and intense. It expanded my mind like few books ever have.
I absolutely marvel at the power and force of such an incredible classic. No doubt that Dostoyevsky had an ability to climb into the human psyche like no one before and maybe no one ever will. This is my 3rd time listeing to the book and it gets better every time. George Guidall's mastery of the text only enhances the depth of this masterpiece. Each time I listen, I am more and more grateful for his emphasis and pauses which only deepen my appreciation for the text. I wish I could give it a 7 star rating.

27 of 28 people found this review helpful

TomD

11/02/03

Overall

"Nicely Done"

This is a very good audio book. The narrator fits the novel and does well to retain your interest. He does a good job of distinguishing each character by changing his voice slightly. Definately worth getting, if you can deal with a 25 hour novel.

69 of 73 people found this review helpful

Yorkshire Exile

09/04/04

Overall

"Superb"

The novel is a completely gripping study of the mind of the leading character. The narration is superb, no other word for it. His voice is clear and dynamic. When doing dialog you could be listening to a group of different actoors performing the piece. In fact I chose my next selection solely on searching for the same narrator.

12 of 12 people found this review helpful

Frannie

MARISSA, IL, United States

11/03/08

Overall

"Fantastic but what else would you exect?"

With Fyodor Dostoevsky as the author and George Guidall as the narrator, you would expect excellence and that's exactly what you get. I put this off because of the length, but it's worth every second. Don't overlook this one. A timeless classic; a timeless narrator.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

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